A Common Enemy
by gluegirl56
Summary: When the war is almost over a mysterious visitor comes to the station; one that should be dead. Sisko soon realizes that nothing is what it seems. On whose side are the Vorta?  Takes place after the series final. The original characters and Weyoun.
1. Chapter 1

Star Trek Deep Space Nine – A Common Enemy

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own anything or anyone related to Star Trek Deep Space Nine. However I would like to thank those who do for creating such an amazing character as Weyoun.

_Characters:_ Weyoun and the command crew of DS9.

_Time period:_ The story is taking place after the series finale.

_I hope you enjoy; please review and tell me what you think. _

_I would also like to thank my Beta (Anne McSommers) who kept me on the right track and pointed out the mistakes that I made. _

_This story has been completed in eleven chapters and an epilogue. _

oooooooooo

Chapter One

Benjamin Sisko walked through the airlock as if he had never even left. He'd watched Jake and Cassidy waiting for him. To him it seemed like he had been with the prophets for only a short time, but in reality he hadn't been on the station for over three months. He wasn't exactly sure what had happened, and he didn't see himself as another race's salvation or emissary. He had come to accept it, and he had long ago realized that something was protecting him, perhaps even helping him during the war.

Benjamin couldn't explain what had happened to him or where exactly he had been, but he knew something had happened that would forever change his life.

Cassidy looked at him with a dazzling smile on her face, she threw her arms around him and he just held her tight remembering how much he had missed her. He looked up to see his son standing beside him, and felt his hand on his shoulder.

Even though he knew Colonel Kira would have taken good care of the station in his absence a lot of things needed to be taken care of. In a way he was anxious to take care of it, to close the chapter of what had once been.

Deep Space Nine had been his home for years, and it sure felt good to be home again. He looked down at the woman before him. "I have missed you."

"I never thought you would come back." She whispered happily.

"I never said I wouldn't, just that I didn't know when."

"Where have you been dad?" Jake asked curiously.

He looked at his son for a while, and chose his words carefully. "I am not sure you would understand."

Jake sighed and put down the pad that he used to write articles on, and hugged his father. "It doesn't matter; what matters is that you are home again."

Benjamin smiled. "Look I know I have been gone for quite some time, but…"

"But you need reassure yourself that Kira has done her job?" Cassidy asked, knowing him all too well.

"Something like that."

"We will see you at dinner tonight; I am cooking something special, something I know you like." She blinked at him?

"See you at dinner."

oooooooooo

A hooded figure slowly moved through the promenade, seemingly all alone in the crowd. He felt the eyes of countless people boring into him from every direction, and at one time he wondered what he had gotten himself into. But there was no other way he could handle this. He wondered briefly if everything he had heard about "himself" was true, but he really hoped not because he was already at a disadvantage. Everyone on the station who would come across him would see him as their enemy. As a diplomat he liked challenges, but perhaps this one was too much even for him.

He had reached a crossroad and there was no way back. There was an expression used by the humans that he had come to rely on. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Weyoun sighed inwardly, he didn't know these people but he had no choice but to trust them. The question was; would they trust him?

oooooooooo

Unknown to the small Vorta, a man stood in the shadows watching his every move. His face was grim, and his eyes full of hatred. He took one last look at the hooded figure's ghostly pale face before moving determined through the people on the promenade and disappeared out of sight. The man he had just seen wasn't supposed to be alive. It meant only one thing to the Cardassian, that the Dominion wasn't defeated. The adjutant of the Cardassian government hurried through the corridors, for the evil must die.

ooooooooo

To be continued


	2. Chapter 2

oooooooooo

Chapter Two

"Benjamin." Kira said happily embracing him in a hug. "I am so glad you're back. When you disappeared I feared I would never see you again, well Kasidy told us but…I don't know."

The Bajoran sighed. "At a time it seemed like everyone just spread out across the galaxy, Worf and O'Brien…speaking of those two, when they heard you were coming back they insisted of visiting Deep Space Nine."

Sisko chuckled. "Why? Is teaching at the academy that bad?" He sat down in his chair picking up the ball.

"I bet he misses Julian."

"They have been writing to each other whenever there has been some time over." She sat down opposite him.

"When it comes to Worf I believe he misses life here and Dax."

"Well whatever reasons, it's going to be good having them back if only for a while."

The colonel suddenly stood and clasped her hands behind her back, a faint smirk on her face and her eyes looking at the floor. She was preparing herself and perhaps Benjamin Sisko too, to bring up a bad topic.

"I know it has been too much lately Benjamin, but the Bajoran people are demanding that the emissary comes to visit them in their request for guidance. They believe that now when the Dominion headquarters have been destroyed, and the leaders have been either killed or sent to Federation prisons, everything is going to be all right again."

Captain Sisko studied her closely for a moment. "You didn't include yourself in there did you?"

"I believe that the war is over when I see it." She answered shortly, crossing her hands over her chest.

Benjamin looked his friend with concern, but didn't bring up the subject he had in mind, instead he answered her request. "You know I would love to go, but I have a lot of things to take care of here first. Or do you want to get rid of me, to run the station on your own for a bit longer?"

He smiled ruefully at her. "Perhaps you and Julian have made this up just to get me to take a break and relax…even though I just came back."

When she looked at him she had an incredible expression on her face. "Benjamin Sisko I think I am offended." She said pretending to be hurt.

"Well I am not the only one who could use a break. How are you doing?"

"Oh I am fine," Was her half-hearted reply.

"That's not very convincing Kira."

"He is coming back today, probably right as we speak, to say good bye and pick up his belongings."

"I am sure Odo care for you very much, or he would not have come himself. In fact I am quite sure they would have insisted on letting someone else fix the final arrangements. After all he is their only hope for survival."

"I care…love him," she corrected herself and sat down opposite Sisko. "I never thought I would say that about a being that is a part of the race set out to be our worst enemy."

"Odo has no part in the war Kira, and he will not be judged by his people's actions. The Changelings will need a lot of time to recuperate and the female leader has made to promise Odo to leave us alone if he was to help them."

The colonel smiled faintly. "Even if I chose to believe that, it would take time to rebuild the homes and the trust among people in the Alpha Quadrant again. And what about the Vorta and Jem'Hadar?" She asked unhappily.

"The Jem'Hadar seems to be fighting among them so I don't think they would bother us too much. They have begun to kill the Vorta, not recognizing them as leaders anymore now that the Dominion is falling apart. And last I heard there would be no more clones; the facilities have been destroyed remember?"

Suddenly a small hooded figure stood in the doorway. When he entered Sisko saw the very familiar blue eyes staring at him, and he was staring back; at a dead man.

Colonel Kira turned around to look at the very real face of a Vorta. "Weyoun."

The Vorta pulled back the hood revealing his very familiar face, a faint smile was etched on his features.

"Sisko to security."

"No wait!" The Vorta said, taking a step forward.

There were something about him that wasn't right but Sisko couldn't put a finger on it.

"I…we need your help." He said sincerely.

Kira studied him for any sign of false pretenses but saw none but she knew he hid them well even if he had any.

"The war is over you have lost, the Dominion is falling apart and you are in no position to make demands." Sisko said angrily.

"You don't understand Captain Sisko. I have never sided with the Dominion." The Vorta said.

"Come on Weyoun that's a little too obvious, even for you. If you are going to lie you could at least do better than that." Kira said angrily.

"I am not…"

The door opened and the former security officer walked in. "Is there a problem?" The Changeling asked curiously looking at the Vorta.

"Odo?" Kira said happily "You're back already?"

Sisko carefully studied the Vorta, and waited for the happy display on his face that he knew would appear whenever a Changeling came his way. However Weyoun never did bow his head slightly, and he never acknowledged Odo as he used to do.

Odo turned to face the Vorta directly and for a fleeting moment he thought he saw a deeply hidden anger burn in his eyes, but when he looked again it wasn't there anymore. "Do I not honor you with my presence Weyoun?"

"You have caused the near destruction of our race, and you want me to be honored seeing you?" The little Vorta said, his voice dangerously low.

Kira found herself staring at the man she had seen walking around the station when occupied by the Dominion, carrying out their every wish. Something must have gone wrong with the last clone; of course it had since the facilities had been destroyed. This was not normal behavior for a Vorta.

"We didn't destroy the research and the cloning station." Odo replied confused.

"No but we did. Technically you should not be able to exist." Sisko said.

"I am not a…" Weyoun stopped and quickly turned around as if hearing something, but he was a second too late.

The phaser burned through his clothing on the lower left side of his torso causing him to lose balance and fall to the ground with a tortured expression on his face.

Sisko watched as Garak slowly lowered his gun with a satisfied smile on his lips. "I thought I killed him before, but obviously I was wrong."

"What do you think you are doing walking into Captain Sisko's office with a phase pistol!" Kira demanded angrily. "When did you get here anyway? I thought you were on Cardassia Prime?"

"I arrived an hour ago, I was only seeing to a little mistake of mine." The Cardassian replied, his confident smile disappearing with the colonel's accusation.

"I am not dead you idiot…I hope you don't leave every job unfinished. I have heard the Cardassians are unreliable." Weyoun wheezed.

Garak quickly moved over to the fallen Vorta's side. "Now I recognize you; that self-centered, arrogant style of yours is going to be your…"

"Enough!" Odo said, grabbing the Cardassian's arm.

A part of him almost wanted it to end there, but he couldn't allow himself to make such decisions, he was no God. Benjamin slapped his combadge. "Sisko to Bashir, medical emergency."

The Vorta suddenly laughed, light red blood running out of his mouth. "I only wanted to…help my people. You are no better than the Dominion." He whispered and welcomed the darkness creeping close to him, it took the pain away.

Kira kneeled next to Weyoun, carefully applying pressure to the angry wound coloring his red uniform in a different shade of the same color.

Doctor Julian Bashir rushed through the doors with a med kit in hand, and momentarily stopped. Odo stood in Sisko's office in his ordinary uniform like he hadn't even left the place. His hand was resting firmly on Garak's shoulder and his normally unreadable face seemed ridden with anger.

Kira sat next to someone who he had seen dead not long ago, her hands covered in blood and Sisko stood behind his desk frozen in place.

"What is going on here?" Bashir asked confused as he hadn't expected to see Sisko, Odo, Garak and least of all Weyoun.

"You have a patient Julian, quickly!" Kira said. "I don't know how to interpret his lifesigns."

"I have to say, I am not much better."

Garak glared at Sisko, shrugging of Odo's hand. "I thought you were my friends!"

"I can't stand by and watch you execute someone!" Sisko answered angrily.

"It's not like he is an innocent being!" Garak shouted back. "You know what he did during the war, he ordered armies to kill thousands in the name of the Dominion. If anyone, you ought to want to see him dead!"

The Captain turned to Odo. "Take him into protective custody and see to it that he has calmed down before releasing him. "

He turned and saw Bashir, Kira and Weyoun disappear in a blue light. "And Odo; it's good to have you back, even if it's going to be brief."

oooooooooo

Tired, Julian sat down next to his newest patient and watched the etched lines on the Vorta's face. Since he didn't know exactly how Weyoun would react to all the stimulants, painkillers and various other medications on top of the blood loss he had suffered, he hadn't dared to give him much more than he had already done. The etched lines were pain displayed on the sleeping Vorta's face and he didn't like it. Dr. Bashir knew who his patient was and what he had done during the war… or did he really know this Vorta at all?

oooooooooo

To be continued

_/I have reposted this as I suddenly realized that both O'Brien and Worf had left the station when Sisko had disappeared, so I needed to bring them back somehow. _


	3. Chapter 3

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Chapter Three

Captain Sisko entered the confined space at the back of the infirmary where Julian had put Weyoun in order to try and slow the spread of rumors on the station somewhat. The tension on the station was already thick. They didn't need to know that the Vorta diplomat responsible for a lot of their misery lay fighting for his life in the infirmary.

"Julian, how is it going?" Benjamin said.

He looked like he had aged years since the last time Julian had seen him.

"He is still alive, and I believe he is fighting to stay that way."

The captain nodded. "Where is the colonel?"

"She went to see Odo."

Sisko moved to stand on the Vorta's other side, opposite to Bashir. The little alien seemed so fragile, almost dead. Small objects had been attached to his head, and Benjamin thought he saw something blink from under the light gown on the Vorta's chest.

"Do you know what you are monitoring Julian?" Sisko said teasingly.

Dr. Bashir looked indignantly at the captain. "As the matter of fact I think I do."

He pointed at a spot almost in the middle of the upper thorax region. "The Vorta have their heart in the middle here and their lungs are laid in the wrong direction, circulating the heart." Bashir smiled. "You are not really interested are you?"

"I believe Garak would be happy to know where to aim the next time he sees a Vorta." Sisko looked at the still form on the bio bed.

"Why is he here Julian, what could he possibly want? He knows they have lost the war, and that the Jem'Hadar are trying to kill them all."

Chief O'Brien chose that moment to announce his presence. "Maybe he thinks it's safer in a Federation prison than out in the Gamma Quadrant."

"Chief, how long have you been standing there?" Dr. Bashir piped up.

"Long enough to know a little about the Vorta anatomy." He said with a smile.

"Actually, I have another theory." Julian replied, ignoring O'Brien's comment. "I took some samples, and I am having them analyzed as we speak…"

"Excuse me Dr. Bashir, the bloodwork has come back." A small blonde nurse said.

Julian turned to Sisko. "You said he didn't acknowledge Odo like he used to, and that he claimed he had never sided with the Dominion."

Benjamin swallowed, and looked intently at his chief medical officer. "What have you found?"

"Nothing yet, but what if he isn't the ninth clone? Why or how would the dying Founders have recreated him?"

O'Brien looked at the pale being lying prone on the bed. It couldn't be could it? He wondered.

"I am not…" Sisko began.

"…a clone." Kira filled in, as she and Odo joined them.

"What you are suggesting is doubtful." Odo said.

"Think about it Odo. What if your people committed genocide?" Bashir said carefully.

"You said that you feel they are hiding things from you." Kira said gently.

"Let's not jump to conclusions here. Knowing Weyoun it's just a trick." Odo replied slightly annoyed.

"No there is something more to it, I am sorry Odo." Julian rose from the chair he had been sitting on. "Now I want everybody out, my patient needs rest and I need some straight answers."

oooooooooo

Garak sat on a bench in the brig, and he was furious. How dare they put him in the brig, he was raising in ranks on Cardassia and he almost had a place in the government secured. The people believed that he with his connections to the Federation would put a stop to the lingering corruption on his home world. He had lived through the occupation of Deep Space Nine, and survived both Dukat and Damar who had been appointed to great leaders, well Damar would have been if he had lived that long. He knew how the Dominion worked, and had Intel about both Jem'Hadar operations and Vorta leadership. If anyone could put an end to the hostilities between the Federation and Cardassia it would be him.

He had been so sure of himself, and he had thought he had it within reach. But then the Vorta had shown up; not just any Vorta but the Vorta. He had been so certain Weyoun had been killed in the attack of the Dominion headquarters and yet here he was, on Deep Space Nine.

His thoughts were interrupted as one of his adjutants moved into the room and nodded to the guard. However the guard held his ground.

"I am not going anywhere. We just want to have private conversation." Garak said, annoyed.

The guard nodded, and took position just outside the brig. The adjutant carefully attached a small device on the bulkhead used to scramble communications, and nodded to Garak.

"What's going on?" He demanded.

"The Vorta is still alive. However Captain Sisko is keeping the lid on."

"I see. What did he want?"

"I don't know yet, there are rumors of surrender, but I can't be sure."

Garak chuckled. "Weyoun surrendering? I hardly think so." He rose from the bench, and walked closer to his servant.

"Listen to me I know you haven't actually met the Vorta but he is smart, very smart and very loyal to the Dominion and that's what makes him so dangerous. He can persuade and manipulate the right people. Weyoun is a top diplomat, he is up to something and sadly I am the only one realizing it."

"What do you wish for me to do?" The adjutant said.

"Put an end to this nonsense, find him and make him talk, then get me out of here."

"Just talk to him?"

"When he has spoken he is at your disposal." Garak replied ruefully.

oooooooooo

To be continued


	4. Chapter 4

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Chapter Four

Something burned through his veins, and still he shivered. The unpleasant feeling brought him back to reality. He opened his eyes but almost immediately slammed them shut again. The light was too bright for his sensitive eyes.

"Come on Weyoun, I know you are awake, even if I am having trouble seeing it on the life-readings." A voice said near him, and it sounded suspiciously like Doctor Bashir.

"That is very comforting to know." The Vorta replied softly.

Julian rolled his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Fantastic." The blue eyes opened and narrowed concentrating on him.

"You should be happy you are still alive. I am sorry I can't give you anything more for the pain. I really wish I could."

Weyoun nodded and unconsciously moved his hand over his side.

Julian quickly but gently took the hand away and put it back on the bed. "The wound is not fully healed, I can't make miracles but the skin is regenerating."

"I am mostly cold and tired, but it feels like my side is on fire." The Vorta whispered faintly, closing his eyes. "You asked how I was feeling." He added.

Bashir nodded grimly and was about to reply, but before he had the chance to, the Vorta spoke up again.

"I really need to see Captain Sisko, if it's possible."

"You really need to rest Weyoun."

"How can you treat me like this when you know what _I _have done against your people?" He asked emphasizing the world I.

"Why did you come back here when you know how you would be welcomed?" Bashir challenged.

"Nothing is what it seems." He opened his eyes and started to rise from the bed. "I need to see Captain Sisko, now."

"If I knew a little more about your original physiology, I would have you sedated right now." Julian replied unhappily, his hands on Weyoun's shoulders.

oooooooooo

Sisko walked up to the bed cautiously, as if not knowing whether to trust the little alien or not.

"I will give you a chance Weyoun, and that's one more than you would have given me."

"I realize this might sound…odd but, there is something you should know." The Vorta replied.

Sisko turned around to Kira and Odo.

"And I know Odo and Colonel Kira are here too. I heard them coming in."

"Why don't you acknowledge your God Weyoun?" The Captain wondered.

The Vorta rose to one elbow and grimaced as the action took its toll on him. "Because he is just a part of that ungrateful species that made it impossible for us to continue living our lives like we used to." He answered in a tone much harsher than usual.

Julian quickly moved to stand next to the Vorta and gently placed him on his back again. "How many times do I have to tell you, lie still."

"There was a time when…" Weyoun began.

"Spare me the lecture, and cut to the good part." Sisko said annoyed.

"They said you had an open mind." The Vorta answered, his voice stronger. "You blame us for nearly destroying you."

"Nearly destroying us?" Sisko shouted. "If we hadn't taken back this station when we did none of us would have been left."

Icy blue eyes turned to meet the warm dark brown ones. "Have you ever considered that perhaps we had nothing to do with it? We are just as innocent as the Bajorans."

Sisko smiled slightly. "That's it I am not going to listen to this."

"Did you really believe that the so called Founders would rely on solid beings?" The Vorta said in a low dangerous voice.

The doors opened revealing Worf. "I had to see it for myself." He said striding in, stopping next to Kira and Odo, right behind the Captain with O'Brien right behind.

"Great, have you all come to discuss your disposal of me?" Weyoun asked angrily.

"You are losing your diplomatic skills." O'Brien replied when no one else did.

"Don't be so drastic Weyoun, tell me your little tail and finish it off by how the Dominion will once again rule the Alpha Quadrant." Sisko said.

The Vorta tried to take a calming breath, but instead it agitated him even more as it pulled on his wound.

"Could we all just take it easy?" Julian asked.

"He is the top diplomat of our enemy; he doesn't even deserve to lie comfortable." Worf said, angrily.

"I always knew Klingons were narrow-minded." The Vorta replied, a headache starting to form.

Worf took a step forward, but Odo and Bashir stopped him.

"Now Weyoun, here is your chance to tell us why we are no better than the Dominion." Odo said.

"Believe it or not, but we were a peaceful race living on a planet far into the Gamma Quadrant. We had just perfected our first starship and taken small trips with it in the nearest solar system when something registered on the screens. An alien vessel crashed on our planet, and even though we believed in life on other planets I am not sure that our society was ready for this." The Vorta had an unreadable expression his face.

"The alien didn't have distinct features but he was visibly injured. Our doctors took care of him and he seemed to be doing better. I know by now that it was just some kind of test from the alien's side." He looked at Odo. "Since the being was not really solid."

Kira and Julian looked at each other.

"We took care of it, helped it, and one day another vessel came by our planet, a Jem'Hadar ship. A being looking just like the one that we took care of said they were grateful for our help, and that we seemed to be a promising race." Weyoun had an expression of dismay on his pale face.

"They took the man we learned to be a scientist, that had crashed with them and we thought we never see them again."

"You are good at telling fairy tales Weyoun." Worf said, his hands crossed over his chest.

Bashir saw the Vorta grind his teeth, but he didn't know if it was due to pain or Worf's comment.

"Only weeks later several Jem'Hadar ships entered our orbit, and with them were a female Changeling. She claimed to be in our debt and wished to see our first minister. I worked close by him at the time."

"Let me guess, you where a diplomat in the inner circle?" Kira asked ironically.

Weyoun nor acknowledged or denied her statement. "The next thing we knew they started rounding up people. They rounded us up and selected 500 hundred Vorta. The relatively large group consisted of top diplomats, doctors, engineers, teachers and other higher officials, some among our military."

Sisko studied Weyoun; his face was tense but serious and his voice held onto a bitter tone which he had never heard from the Vorta before.

"The Jem'Hadar saw to it that there was no escape. At least as many as they took were injured or killed in the events that occurred. In a way the Dominion conquered our planet that day, several years ago." He looked away and sighed.

"Perhaps we should continue later?" Julian offered.

"No, I want to know what they did." Odo said. "I had an image when I was in the great link, but I didn't understand it then." He walked closer to Weyoun.

"We were taken to some kind of research station where we would be of good use, and the scientist apologized for their _hospitality_." He spit out the last word.

There was no sign of double talk or smooth talk. There was just an anger directed at the Dominion. Kira began to understand that perhaps everything wasn't as it seemed.

"We tried to stick together, but it was hard. They kept us apart mostly and, when in groups we where only allowed to be thirty. The Changeling that we had rescued where there and he seemed genuinely happy to see us. The days went by and we were taken to their labs for study and testing. "

Dr. Bashir knew what had to come next because he had seen the results on Weyoun and they didn't match with Weyoun six.

"My people are known for their vast diplomatic skills and knowledge in medicine and to some extent engineering. They incorporated our knowledge with their own to enhance their ships and continued our genetic research."

Julian nodded. "I have analyzed samples I took from you and there was one particular discovery that stood out from the rest. You are older than the clone that died while rescuing Odo. That would not possible if you where a copy."

"Explain yourself doctor." Sisko said.

"Every parameter in a clone is set after its original, even if the Founders claimed they created the Vorta they had to have had material from somewhere. Cloning is a tricky business, because there are copy flaws that usually present themselves."

Odo looked from Julian to Weyoun. "This is the real Weyoun."

It was really a statement, but Bashir answered it anyway. "Yes this is the original."

Sisko glanced at the doctor. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. We have never met each other before." Bashir replied.

oooooooooo

To be continued


	5. Chapter 5

oooooooooo

Chapter Five

Kira moved closer as well, putting a hand on the little Vorta's shoulder. "What happened next?"

"Ayoon, one of medical directors, and our chief military advisor Yelgroun decided to take a little stroll around the premises and caught the Changelings at a bad time. Their bodies were shown to us after they were autopsied, and served no purpose to them. "

"That's a terrible story." Kira said angrily.

"They…were not a pretty sight." Weyoun continued "Instead of making us more obliged to follow their lead it angered us. We instigated a riot, and it resulted in the deaths of most of our military officers that had been taken."

"I know my people don't take kindly to solids, but that is absurd." Odo said.

"We negotiated a kind of truce between our people. I used every diplomatic skill I could think of to get us out of the situation."

Sisko nodded, coming to a sort of understanding why they had cloned Weyoun and used him as their diplomatic advisor. He had impressed the Changelings, they just had to make him a bit more perceptive to them.

"Apparently the Founders had issues with their servants, the Jem'Hadar and needed someone to control them. After weeks of study and research they managed to perfect our genetic research and mapping. The scientist that crash-landed on our planet happened to have a vast knowledge of genetics. Now I am not so sure they didn't all possess it because they all are one and the same."

"It took me years to figure them out even though they are my own people, I am not proud to say it." Odo said, a little ashamed.

"All my answers didn't come over night Odo." Weyoun assured softly.

"It took them over a year to manipulate the subjects or rather creations to fit their purposes. It is said that the Changelings don't have a humor?" The Vorta glanced at Odo.

"Well not very much anyway." O'Brien said from behind.

Kira glared at him.

"What?" He questioned.

"The more a Vorta seemed to despise the _great_ Founders, the more power did they seem to have. To them it meant a complete success of taking the desired treats of a particular Vorta and enhancing them while suppressing the most unwanted."

"Lovely." Julian said, sitting down next to Weyoun carefully looking over his readings.

"In the end the original Vorta were to be killed since they served no purpose for the Founders any more. However the scientist had grown quite attached to us, and together with the most trusted Vorta he helped form an escape plan for us. In secrecy the engineers had built two small ships on the Founders back yard with the help of the rest of us whenever we could get away." He closed his eyes momentarily and continued.

"The scientist helped us by claiming he wanted to do more studies of us. He avoided the great link at the time as if not to raise suspicions. He said he wanted to repay a debt to us."

"You obviously got away." Benjamin Sisko said intrigued.

"During what could have been my last day in life I saw a clone of myself through a lab window. He looked at me, smiling."

"I don't like your false smile either." Kira assured him.

Weyoun looked directly at the Bajoran. "Well thank you that warmed my heart." He replied sarcastically.

"The only thing we had in common with our so called copies where our names."

"Somehow I doubt that." Benjamin replied.

"Suppressing the undesired treats, enhancing the wanted? Would arrogance, self-confidence and manipulative skills be desired?" Colonel Kira asked innocently.

Weyoun smiled at her but it didn't reach his eyes. "You make it sound like I am a bad person."

"I am sorry, but that's the expression I have got from…you." She finished thoughtfully.

"Yes that's the problem. You have never actually met me before." The Vorta replied sadly.

"How did you get away?" Odo asked.

"The day when we would have been executed resulted in the deaths of several Jem'Hadar while trying to prevent us from leaving, and the death of the scientist for committing treason and unfortunately several of our own as the ships took heavy fire. When we escaped we were a little over 450, and after that day 225 of us were still alive."

"The other ship." Julian said dismayed.

The Vorta nodded. "One of the ships had to create a diversion…but it worked. No matter how hard they tried the Founders actually never found us and finally reasoned we would no longer pose a threat to them. The Jem'Hadar that had witnessed the events and survived where killed so that no one knew about the Vorta."

Weyoun continued. "Since the Changelings introduced us as their loyal followers to the Alpha Quadrant, everyone else assumed we where their enemies." Weyoun closed his eyes.

He felt worse again. It was like someone had lighted the fire that had burned in his side before. He tried to shift on the bed, but it didn't help. It seemed to increase even more and threatened to engulf him.

"Weyoun?" Someone called out.

A hand was placed on his shoulder, and he felt another on his forehead.

"Should he be this cold?" He might have imagined it, but he thought it was Odo.

"Weyoun, what is it?" Doctor Bashir asked alarmed.

He opened his eyes to see the concerned faces around him and it surprised him. "I…think I have torn something." He whispered.

Julian quickly grabbed a portable scanner and ran it over Weyoun's injury. "I thought I had fixed this." He said mildly surprised.

"Julian?" Sisko said concerned.

"Okay the rest of the story will have to wait, everybody out."

oooooooooo

They were all gathered in the Captain's office, except for the doctor.

"All things considered I am so happy to see you all again." Kira said.

"Well it never gets dull around here." O'Brien replied.

"The Dominion has been playing tricks with us before." Worf muttered.

Sisko looked at Worf and then took in the appearances of the rest of his present friends. "I am glad to be back and have you all back here with me, even if it's just for now."

Kira looked out through the stations window behind Sisko. "Do you believe him?" She asked suddenly to no one particular.

"He sounded sincere." O'Brien offered.

"It is Weyoun we are talking about." Worf said.

"I thought the cloning facilities on Rondac 3, that Damar destroyed was the only one." Kira mused.

"I thought the Vorta had been created to serve us, and function as a link between the Founders and the…"

"Just say it." O'Brien replied mildly annoyed.

"Solids? I didn't mean anything by it, they call you that." Odo said apologetically.

"All right gentlemen we are all tense here." Sisko warned. "We have all had a lot on our minds lately, and we all thought the war was finally over."

"It is over." Odo said determined.

"It's chaos out there. The Jem'Hadar are killing the cloned Vorta and the Dominion lies in ruins, even the Alpha Quadrant lies in ruins." Benjamin replied tiredly. "I should have left for Bajor."

"Well the activity in the Gamma Quadrant is almost zero from the Dominion except for the Jem'Hadar, so if we could stay out of their sight we could try and find the research station Weyoun talks about. If he is telling the truth he can give us coordinates." O'Brien offered.

"Good idea, I'll have Dax turn the Defiant around as soon as she comes back from delivering supplies to our allies." Benjamin answered.

"I can't believe he is not a clone." Worf said.

"Who is not a clone?" Jake said entering the office. "Is it really Weyoun being treated by Julian?"

"Rumors are obviously spreading fast around here." Odo stated.

"_Bashir to Sisko." _

Benjamin looked around the room, his eyes finally settling on Jake as he activated his badge. "Go ahead doctor."

"_I have repaired the damage. It seems Garak managed to do more harm than I originally thought." _

Jake listened intently. "Did Garak shoot Weyoun? Again, I thought he was already dead."

Kira glared at him.

"Will he be all right?" Sisko asked.

"_Yes as long as he doesn't start to walk around too quickly. But he needs rest, I should have kicked you out a long time ago." _

"Point taken, call me when we can talk to him again. Sisko out."

"This is going to be a great story; Dominion top diplomat responsible for thousands of deaths captured by the Federation." Jake said happily.

"Hello Mr. Journalist, it's not that simple." O'Brien said.

oooooooooo

The Cardassian adjutant carefully approached the infirmary. He methodically let his eyes search the room for the little Vorta.

"Hello can I help you?" A blonde nurse said walking up to him.

"Yes thank you I have a headache, and thought perhaps I could get something here?" He smiled falsely at her.

She smiled back at him. "Have you had any previous headaches, or received a blow to the head?" She asked professionally.

"No, nothing like that." He said trying not to tell her to stick her nose somewhere else.

"I usually don't hand out anything until I know the cause, but I think I can make an exception; I will be back shortly."

"Thank you." He said, watching her walk away.

The Cardassian quickly moved through the doors of the next section of the infirmary, and almost jumped back as Bashir turned around the corner. Luckily the doctor didn't see him.

"How is he Doctor Bashir?" The medical assistant asked as Julian put bloody gloves in the bin.

"He is in a very bad way. I don't think he will survive." He said grimly.

"I don't like to see people dead, but the Vorta has always managed to freak me out a little." She replied.

"He is no threat; he hardly knows where he is. The blood loss has taken its toll on him, and I don't have any blood to give him."

The Cardassian smiled happily. The Vorta was apparently already dying without his help. He turned back the way he came and was just in time to catch the blonde nurse again.

"Here you are; for the headache." She said handing over a box with tablets.

"The old fashioned way?" He asked, indicating the little pills.

"I don't give hypos without an examination."

"I see well I am sure this will be great. Thank you."

Bashir walked around the corner together with his assistant as the Cardassian exited. "I bet he runs to Garak with the good news." He said sarcastically.

"Was any of it true?" The beautiful young assistant asked.

"Well Weyoun is not dying, and he knows very well where he is but the blood loss is worrying."

oooooooooo

To be continued

_/I felt the need to add a scene (a little gathering scene). _


	6. Chapter 6

oooooooooo

Chapter Six

It was almost noon the next day when Julian emptied a hypo in the veins of the Vorta, waking him from the medically induced sleep.

Weyoun blinked at the bright light and turned his head in the direction of Bashir. "What happened?"

"I told you to lie still, but did you listen?" Julian placed his hands on his hips.

"I am not used to be told what to do and besides rumors say you're a _skilled_ doctor."

"_You're_ a skilled diplomat, trying to turn the blame around on me. Besides it's arrogant and ungrateful of you."

The Vorta tried to take deep breath, but stopped short as is shoot spikes of pain through his torso.

Julian forgot his earlier tone and put a hand on the Vorta's shoulder. "Easy Weyoun."

"Thank you. Or did you think I was too arrogant to say that?"

"I don't know what to think of you anymore. I have seen you… or some twisted versions of you walk down these corridors a lot of times with Jem'Hadar in tow like you owned the place. I know you ordered the execution of some of my friends…" He knew he was raising his voice. "I am sorry."

"No don't be. I don't have all the Intel; I don't know exactly what he did here. I only knew he was quite successful doing what he did and that doesn't necessarily make me proud." The Vorta met the doctor's brown eyes with his icy blue ones. "Can I see the others now?"

oooooooooo

Sisko walked right up to Bashir as he spotted him just inside the infirmary. "Should he be sitting up in bed?"

Julian turned around. "We made a compromise."

The doors opened once again revealing Kira, Odo, Worf, O'Brien and Jake.

Weyoun smiled faintly as they walked towards him.

"You _like_ being in the center of attention don't you?" She asked trying to be polite.

"I am _used_ being there colonel; that's two totally different things." He answered diplomatically.

He was good and she had to give him credit for that.

"Are you feeling better now?" Odo asked sounding concerned for the Vorta.

Kira looked at him with an incredible look on her face. "This is not your fault Odo."

"Not mine personally, but my people."

"They tried to kill all of us. Not just the Vorta." The Bajoran returned.

"So what happened next?" Sisko asked, trying to keep the conversation on the right track.

"We couldn't go back to our home because the minute we entered the coordinates for Orlo, that's what we call our planet, they would hunt us down."

Weyoun continued. "The first minister had command of the other ship, and with it gone I was left sitting in the captain's chair of the existing ship."

"Do you know what happened to the rest of your people that were still on the planet?" O'Brien asked.

Jake carefully reached into his pocket and took up the pad he carried with him.

"I don't know if there is still a planet that could sustain living beings. We had to try and make our way out of the Gamma Quadrant, but we knew very little about what lay ahead. I asked for our helmsman to set an appropriate course."

"I haven't heard anything about your species entering the Alpha Quadrant." Sisko said.

"That's because we didn't. We stayed close to the border, near the wormhole, and made friends with a race called the Rosslings. They didn't seem to care about what was going on right in front of them. They asked no questions and we didn't either."

"The Rosslings? Yes I have heard about them." Odo said. "They are a mystic people, not very interested in the companionship of others."

"We came to them for supplies every once in a while, but otherwise we lived on the ship in what I believe you call the Rocky Road Asteroid belt." Weyoun said.

"The Rocky Road?" You need to have excellent dampeners and technology just to be able to land on it." O'Brien relied.

"We had the technology, so it wasn't a problem. The problem was the rumors about a new race never heard of in the Alpha Quadrant allied with the Changelings. They were followers of an already mighty race and would do anything to assure their status and power."

"The clones." Bashir stated.

"We couldn't ask for your help because you had already made up your mind about us, and we had only one ship. We continued to monitor the war from a distance, but things didn't seem to go well for you. We had hoped that the Federation and their allies would rise up against the Changelings, Jem'Hadar, Cardassians and later the Breen, or the Dominion as they liked to call themselves."

"Believe me we did our best." Sisko said.

Weyoun smiled faintly, it seemed almost forced. "You see; to the cloned Vorta, the Founders and the Dominion were the creators and Gods. To the real Vorta they were the enemy, an enemy too strong to oppose with our limited resources."

"You had people inside didn't you?" Odo suddenly asked.

Weyoun nodded. "Since the clones looked exactly like us we send Keevan to kill his own clone and take his place."

Sisko looked up at the mention of the name.

"However something went wrong with his ship and they crashed. I heard he was taken to a Federation prison?"

The Captain nodded. "We met Keevan on the planet where they had crashed. He was badly injured and Julian had to fix him up. I thought he was acting strangely for a Vorta who followed the Founders every move. It was like he hated the Jem'hadar even as he commanded them." Sisko averted his eyes. If he only had known then what he knew now.

"He had no other choice. I know it may seem harsh, but he couldn't contact us because of the danger of compromising our position so he saw the surrender as the only option. He gave us valuable information during the months he managed to manipulate the ranks of the Jem'Hadar, but unfortunately after the incident the Changelings increased security measures and we couldn't risk something like that again."

"Wait a minute, the Dominion got his body after Quark and his Ferengi delegation managed to kill him." Odo said.

Kira looked down in the floor. "I handed him over to Quark, how stupid of me."

"You couldn't have known." Sisko assured her.

"They must have autopsied him." Julian said looking at Weyoun.

The Vorta nodded. "It would have been a painful reminder to them that we were still out there somewhere. But they had other priorities at the time."

"Do you have the coordinates for the Dominion research station?" O'Brien asked.

Weyoun smiled. "Why, you still don't believe me?"

"Actually I do believe you, but a statement without proof…" Sisko trailed off.

The Vorta nodded. "I'll be going with you."

Doctor Bashir snorted. "How about a little compromise? You may give him the coordinates, but you are staying right where you are." He looked at Vorta sternly.

"I'll give you the coordinates." Weyoun said looking at Sisko.

oooooooooo

O'Brien looked out through the view screen of the Defiant. "What do you think we will find?" He said to no one particular.

"Empty space." Ezri said.

"Why?" Worf asked from the back of the bridge.

"Because the coordinates Weyoun gave us are very close to the battle between the Enterprise and the Toulouse, and the Jem'Hadar second division." She said looking at Sisko sitting in the Captain's chair.

"How long till we reach the destination?" Sisko asked.

"It's quite deep into the Gamma Quadrant, but at maximum warp we should be there in a day." Ezri replied.

O'Brien looked at her. "Well you weren't kidding when you said deep into enemy territory."

"No sign of the Jem'Hadar so far." Worf said, knowing who the chief was referring to.

"Good, let's keep it that way." Sisko replied cautiously.

Unknown to the Captain and the rest of the crew, a ship third the size of the Defiant lay in a course to follow them.

oooooooooo

To be continued


	7. Chapter 7

oooooooooo

Chapter Seven

Julian Bashir walked into the infirmary early in the morning as he had been unable to sleep trying to sort out the Vorta, Jem'Hadar and Dominion. He walked straight up to Weyoun, and began checking his life signs.

"Weyoun?"

The Vorta slowly opened his eyes looking suspiciously at the doctor.

"I hate to ask you this, but are you cold?" He said, referring to his readings.

"I am all right; in fact I feel well." Came the answer.

"Your body temperature is lower than 37 degrees, around 35.5 degrees."

"Then I am fine. Vorta physiology is adapted to our home planet and the evolution just as yours. We normally have a temperature of 35.5 degrees."

"In that case I see no reason to keep you here, you are free to leave." Bashir said, satisfied with his readings but still a bit frustrated at having his patient point out what was normal.

He watched the Vorta slowly sit up. Despite Weyoun's intentions not to show it pain was etched on his face.

Odo walked through the door. "I'll escort Weyoun to his quarters. Even though a treaty has been signed…" He trailed off.

"I am still seen as the Vorta responsible for the loss of hundred thousands of life or was it millions?" Weyoun said bitterly pressing his lips together in a thin line. "Meaning I can't leave my so called quarters without escort?" He asked dryly.

Odo was still a bit surprised when Weyoun didn't react the way he used to do; or rather the way the clones of him usually did. He was raised from his thoughts by Dr Bashir's voice.

"The only thing you're going to do is rest in your bed."

Odo watched the familiar smile on the Vorta's face. "Come on now doctor I have things to do."

ooooooooo

Sisko watched Dax intently watching the readings on her console. "What is it?"

"I am not sure, but I think we are being followed. I dismissed it as a reflection before but this is larger."

"I can see no Jem'Hadar ships." O'Brien offered.

"I recommend that we ready phasers." Worf said.

"Whoever they are, they are very good at this. If it wasn't for one small mistake they would have gotten away with it." Ezri said.

"You mean to tell us they are not Jem'Hadar?" The chief asked.

"When do we reach the coordinates?" Sisko wondered.

"We would be able to reach them within minutes." The Trill answered.

"All stop." Sisko ordered.

"All stop." Ezri confirmed.

As the Defiant stopped another much larger vessel dropped out of warp beside them.

"I take it that's our so called reflection?" Sisko said, folding his arms.

"Captain, I have never seen a ship of that design." Worf said.

"No there is only one." Sisko replied, a satisfied smile on his lips.

"The Vorta?" O'Brien asked in disbelief.

"Think about it; what do we really know about the Vorta?" Worf cautioned unhappily.

"Should we hail them?" Ezri asked.

"Well they obviously want something." The Captain replied.

"This is Ezri Dax on the united starship Defiant. Please acknowledge."

"Federation vessel; this is Eris of the Vorta union star cruiser. We had hoped that Diplomatic ambassador Weyoun had found a way to reach you. We are no threat to you…"

"Forgive me Eris, but your vessel can cause the Defiant great harm." Sisko said politely.

"…we mean you no harm, we just wish for peace."

"Why have you followed us here?" Worf spoke up.

"Why have you come here if you do not believe a word of what Weyoun has told you?" The Vorta female replied.

"Point taken, we want to confirm that what he has been telling us is true." Sisko said.

"Sir I am being fed a link." Ezri said.

"On the view screen." Benjamin replied.

"That is a great start; we are here to establish a dialogue between our people and wish that you would accept our invitation." Eris said looking intently at the Federation Captain.

Benjamin nodded looking at four Vorta on the bridge on the other ship. "We do; I have a question for you. How often have you visited these coordinates?"

The female Vorta smiled. "Would you believe me if I told you we haven't dared to show up here before?" She rose from the chair she sat in and walked closer to the screen.

"You see Captain Sisko; the last time we were at these coordinates we were lucky to leave alive. A lot of our people didn't, and I am pleased to see that only debris show that here has ever been a station." Eris answered diplomatically.

"The Enterprise and the Toulouse defeated the Jem'Hadar second division not far from here. So the hopes of finding anything were minimal." Sisko explained.

"I believe that you are referring to Federation ships." The Vorta stated.

"The Enterprise is the flagship of the Federation; I have served on her once." Worf said proudly.

Ezri shook her head and smiled.

"Since we are supposed to trust each other, may I suggest that you beam onboard?" Sisko asked.

"I have a better proposal, you are all welcome onboard the Corritz."

oooooooooo

Some people turned as the Vorta and Odo carefully walked down the promenade but most of them continued what they were doing. Most of them probably considered the war to be over, and the Vorta casualties of the Jem'Hadar slaughter that was going on in the Gamma Quadrant. Although those who did look knew exactly who Weyoun was and what he stood for during the war, there was no mistake of the hatred shining in their eyes.

"The others have left for the coordinates that you gave them." Odo said somberly.

"As I said I doubt that there is anything left of it for them to find." The Vorta replied tiredly.

Odo waited for the familiar assuring smile on Weyoun's face, but it never came.

"Are you in pain?" The Changeling asked suddenly.

"I believe there is more pain in my soul than in my body."

oooooooooo

The Cardassian adjutant didn't believe his eyes. The Vorta was very much alive and walking down the promenade. Even the Kanar he had been drinking couldn't cause a sight like that. Cremor pursed his lips into a thin line before a smug smile tugged in the corner of his mouth. He had to give Doctor Bashir credit for his cunning. The doctor had guessed what he had been after.

The Vorta had that creepy smile on his face just like he had had when he had announced the destruction of Cremor's home; the city of Daac. Several hundred thousands of Cardassian's had lost their lives that day and for Cremor there was no defence against such actions. He was not a solider for he despised war and believed that Cardassia would once again rise from the ashes on a diplomatic way. The Federation was a strong believer of democracy and peace and therefore it had enraged him that they of all people would even consider letting the leading Vorta in the war walk freely on the station.

Cremor forced himself to calm down; rash decisions wouldn't get him anywhere he wanted. The man walking down the promenade should be dead; in fact Garak had killed him when the Federation stormed enemy headquarters. It all became something greater now and so many things were at stake.

Perhaps he could use the Vorta for his own purposes, and kill him in the process. The Cardassian smiled to himself. There would come a day in the near future when Cardassia Prime would once again reclaim the glory and power to become the dominant power it had once been; far more powerful than the Federation.

The adjutant raised his glass and emptied the content and felt it burn down his throat. That day would soon arrive. He just needed to tie all the loose ends and prepare for it.

He jumped as a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"I am sorry to disturb your thoughts, but unless you're gonna order something more I want to get paid." Quark said.

Cermor looked at the Ferengi with dismay. The species was the scum of the galaxy; always plotting and scheming.

"Put it on the Cardassian delegation." He said irritably.

"Preoccupied are we?" Quark replied annoyed. "I don't take credits from delegations; as I said they tend to leave without paying the bill."

Cremor banged his fist in the table. "Is money all you care about?" He asked in a low voice.

"Yes, one more like that and I'll charge you for the table." The Ferengi said simply.

The Cardassian was furious. "Open your eyes and look, look at the Vorta walking freely down the promenade as if he had been an allied." He said with dismay.

Quark followed his gaze. "Yes it's outrageous. I am gonna lose my bet."

"People like him shouldn't be allowed here; not anywhere. Can't they see it's a Vorta; not just any Vorta but the manipulative, devious, mischievous…"

Quark raised his forehead. "Maybe you should have a refill; it's on the house."

oooooooooo

Odo opened the door and the Vorta walked in.

"These will be your quarters during your stay here."

Weyoun nodded and walked over to the window staring out in space.

"I should leave you alone." The Changeling turned to leave. "And I am sorry for the tragedies my people have caused you." He added.

Weyoun turned around in surprise.

Odo saw the pained expression on his face. "Maybe you should rest." He suggested.

"You do believe me?"

Odo nodded. "Yes…when I joined the great link once after being affected by a disease the Federation couldn't cure I saw things that they tried to keep from me. However the images didn't make any sense." He looked directly at the Vorta.

"Not until you told Captain Sisko about your people." He saw Weyoun look at him intently.

"I saw the destruction of a ship I hadn't seen before, dead Vorta, slaughtered Jem'Hadar and a beautiful planet; not necessarily in that order."

"I appreciate you telling me all this." Weyoun bowed slightly.

Odo watched the all too familiar gesture of gratitude. "Please refrain from doing that; it brings back bad memories."

"As you wish." He said innocently.

oooooooooo

To be continued


	8. Chapter 8

oooooooooo

Chapter Eight

"Welcome aboard Captain Sisko and…" Eris looked expectantly at the officers standing next to the captain.

"My apologies Eris; this is my engineer Miles O'Brien and Ezri Dax. I am afraid that my Klingon ambassador stayed behind on the Defiant." He smiled politely. "Just as a precaution."

The Vorta nodded and turned around as two other Vorta walked up beside her.

"This is Beyoon; he was the chief medical advisor on one of our more advanced hospitals."

Sisko looked at the Vorta. He seemed to be slightly taller than Weyoun and his black hair showed strains of gray at the edges. Another thing Benjamin noted was that his eyes were purple.

"And this is Groon; he oversaw the construction of our first star cruiser." Eris finished.

The engineer bowed slightly, he was short and compact and his hair was light brown.

"I thought you all looked the same." O'Brien blurted out.

Beyoon nodded and looked a bit amused. "Our species doesn't vary very much, but as every other species in this galaxy there are certain differences. We have either blue or purple eyes and we have black or brown hair. From what I have seen so far your own species are far more differentiated."

Ezri saw Sisko and O'Brien exchange looks and smiled.

Eris looked down at the floor obviously amused and then took a step forward. "Please come this way."

They walked through seemingly endless corridors, and ended up in a central conference room.

"You have quite a ship." O'Brien remarked.

Groon smiled delighted. "Yes we are quite proud of her considering the short amount of time we had to put her together. We even borrowed some technology from the Changelings."

"I am curious as if to why you have waited this long to show yourself." Sisko said.

"You know how treacherous and deadly the Dominion can be captain, since you have experienced it. Besides what would have happened if we had shown up on your doorstep; would you have embraced us in the Federation family with open arms?" Eris asked.

"You could have fooled the Jem'Hadar." The Federation captain said.

Groon turned serious. "You should never trust a Jem'Hadar, they are controlled only by the Ketracel white, and look what is going on in the Gamma Quadrant as we speak."

"There are rumors that the Jem'Hadar are fighting for power among their own ranks." Ezri said.

"Yes that is correct. We have been monitoring the channels and the Jem'Hadar are no longer controlled by their so called Vorta leaders. The Founders have reverted back to their gelatinous state to recuperate with the help of one of their own whom I believe has been allied with you?" Eris replied accusingly.

"Odo may be a Changeling, but I can assure you he wanted nothing to do with his people when fighting us." Sisko said feeling a fleeting hostile tension in the room.

"You didn't hold the Changeling for your own purposes?" Beyoon wondered.

"We don't take kindly to being compared to the Changelings." Benjamin Sisko replied, somewhat annoyed.

"But it's okay to place us as their loyal servants whom, which carry out their orders killing hundred thousands or even millions of people?" Eris said angrily.

"Look this is getting us nowhere. Why don't we all sit down and present the facts at hand instead of accusing each other?" Beyoon asked.

Eris and Sisko locked eyes with each other, and then moved to sit opposite one another.

"Let's start again." Beyoon said, glaring at Eris who looked away.

"Before leaving the station the first and only time, we managed to download some of the information stored in the matrix." The Vorta doctor handed Sisko a data crystal.

"Anything interesting?" The Captain asked studying the crystal in his hand.

"It's mostly documentation about the process of cloning and discussions about perfection of cloning. Journals of test subjects and what happened to the subjects. Everything is not pretty."

Eris watched the Federation members. "We have a copy of it, so we want to give you the crystal."

"How do we know it's not rewritten or otherwise destroyed?" Ezri asked.

"You can't know that, you'll just have to trust us on the matter." Beyoon said softly.

Sisko nodded. "I do, and I am sorry if it appears differently."

O'Brien looked at the Vorta medical advisor sitting opposite him. "So Weyoun said you made contact with the Rosslings, but even so it must have been hard to survive on the ship."

"Yes well I wouldn't say it has been easy, but it has been manageable. However, we long to see our home planet again and the rest of our people."

"Do you think anyone is still alive back there?" The engineer wondered.

Groon closed his eyes. "I had to leave my family behind and there hasn't been a single day without a thought going to them. Hope is everything I have left."

"We have created a community onboard this ship and children are growing up here but it can't make up for the sacrifices our people have made, we do not expect you to understand." Beyoon replied sadly.

"I lost many friends in the war, and I do know how it is to lose people and I think we all know." Sisko changed subject. "You said you had community, who runs it?"

"Think of it as your space station Captain Sisko. You make decisions, but you always consult the people around you do you not?"

He nodded.

Eris continued. "In this case Weyoun has been our captain, but like all captain's he took it upon himself to try and convince you to help us. I tried to talk him out of it since his clone was one of the most hated Vorta by your people."

oooooooooo

"There you are." Garak said, pleased as Odo walked into the brig.

"Have you had a chance to think about your actions?" He asked calmly.

Garak threw out his arms. "What is there to think about? I tried to kill a criminal, a casualty of war."

"I am afraid it's a bit more complicated than that Garak. You see Weyoun is not who you think."

Garak chuckled. "I know looks can be deceiving…"

"He is the original." Odo said waiting for the reaction.

Garak clasped his hands together. "Oh so much better; then there could be no more of them."

"I thought Gul Dukat was narrow-minded but I expected more from you." The Changeling replied angrily.

"Why…Odo… do you defend an alien that is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands Cardassians!" He shouted. "Or do you actually stand on the Dominion's side?" He added testily.

"Have you been listening to me at all? Like I said it's not what you think, the Vorta had nothing to do with the deaths on Cardassia."

"No?" His eyes burned. "I was there with Damar and Colonel Kira!"

"Calm down, we are going to have a talk."

oooooooooo

Julian Bashir stopped short just outside Quark's bar. A large gathering of people blocked his vision of the disk, but he could hear loud noises and cheering. A group of Klingons called for more drinks. The doctor squeezed himself forward through most of the crowd and stared at a large Klingon, and a little Vorta emptying their glasses.

Weyoun licked his lips, a smug look on his face. "Is it enough for you?" He asked the Klingon innocently.

The Klingon glared at him with unfocused eyes, one hand gripping the bar disk as if trying to prevent himself from falling off the chair. He made an untellable sound staring the Vorta straight in the face. "One…more." He said holding up a finger at Quark.

Weyoun raised his eyebrows and laid his hands in his lap. "Are you sure?"

Julian shook his head and tried to push himself forward to reach them.

Weyoun shrugged. "You heard the Klingon Quark, one more."

The Ferengi looked from the very drunk Klingon to the very unaffected Vorta. "I think that settles it." He said handing out the drinks.

The Klingon grabbed his and took it in a single sweep while the Vorta nonchalantly took a sip of his.

The Klingons eyes seemed to roll in his head and when the Vorta gently put a hand on his shoulder the man fell to the floor in a heap.

"Oh my…well I said it wasn't a good idea." Weyoun said softly.

Quark had a satisfied smile on his lips, silently counting in his head how many latinum bars he had earned by the betting. "That you did."

The Ferengi smiled at the large commotion of Klingon officers. "I am sorry, no money back."

Julian kneeled beside the Klingon who was out like a light. He glared up at the Vorta.

Weyoun ordered a glass of water and looked at Bashir apologetically. "I actually tried to tell him it wasn't a good idea."

"Yes that probably insulted him even more." He stood aside as the other Klingons dragged his so called patient away.

"If he hadn't been so foolish to believe he could drink me under the table…" He sipped on the water. "…luckily he couldn't take more, do you know how awful it tasted?"

"You are not affected at all are you?" Bashir crossed his arms over his chest.

Weyoun made a face. "Now that you mention it I think I have a headache, but that's more due to the brawling going on behind us. I have got sensitive ears."

Julian didn't know what to do; cry or laugh. Sometimes the original and the clones seemed to be exactly the same. It was so frustrating at times.

"Do you know what you are?"

"Arrogant, nonchalant…" Weyoun tried innocently.

"That's enough; I have been looking for you. Come with me to the infirmary, I obviously can't let you out of sight for ten minutes."

"Have you been following me?" He asked innocently.

"Weyoun!"

oooooooooo

Worf looked up from his station as Ezri, O'Brien and Sisko appeared in a blue shimmer. "You are back in one piece." He said.

"You have always been cheerful Worf." O'Brien smirked.

Sisko walked right up to his chair and sat down. "Dax open a channel to the Corritz."

"Channel is open."

"Eris, have a safe journey to home. I have called for USS Cortez to help you through Dominion space but I don't think you will be in any danger."

The Vorta smiled happily on the screen. "Thank you Captain Sisko. Maybe in a near future we could learn to live side by side."

The view screen turned dark and he felt Worf's eyes burning in his neck.

"When will Cortez rendezvous with the Vorta ship?" He wondered.

"In approximately seven hours." Dax said checking her console. "Benjamin, do you think there is anyone left to find on the planet?"

"I don't know old man, I don't know."

"Would somebody explain what is going on?" The Klingon said annoyed.

"We have reached an agreement."

oooooooooo

Kira sighed tiredly sitting down on the couch in her quarters as Odo walked through the door. "What took you so long?" She complained.

He smiled at her. "I am sorry did you miss me much?"

"Do you know how empty it has been here without you… and Benjamin?" She closed the gap between them and laid her arms around him.

"Please Odo, stay with me."

oooooooooo

To be continued


	9. Chapter 9

oooooooooo

Chapter Nine

Bashir stood crouched over the bench in the infirmary's lab section as Benjamin and Ezri walked in. He jumped as the captain put a hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry didn't know I would cause that reaction."

Julian looked at him. "I am a bit preoccupied I am afraid. I have reanalyzed the samples of the Vorta clone and Weyoun's samples and I have to say, the Changelings really managed to do quite a flawless copy."

"Actually it's Aya you should give the credit to. The Changelings only manipulated the treats desired in their followers." Sisko said.

Julian frowned. "Who is Aya?"

"You mean, who was Aya?" Ezri said sadly.

"Aya was a Vorta medical expert, her field was cloning. The Vorta resorted to cloning as a last resort to find a cure for a fatal disease that is spreading through the generations."

"She and her team were quite successful in refining the cloning of a whole Vorta but also of the process of growing tissue and new organs. The Vorta are much more advanced in the field of medicine than we are."

"Have you had the chance to talk to her?" Julian asked hopefully.

"Aya worked ten years to find a cure for the disease by doing changes in the genetic makeup only to die of it herself."

"So the cure was never found?" Bashir asked.

"Not for that particular disease; the research was abandoned when the Changelings turned the world upside-down for the Vorta. "

"What kind of disease was it? Is it genetic from the beginning?" Julian asked interested.

Sisko closed his eyes momentarily thinking back on what Beyoon had said.

oooooooooo

"_Aya was kind and generous; she lived for the knowledge that her work one day would save hundreds of our kind. She was always so full of life and energy and she tried to see everything on the bright side. One day when she came to work I saw something, a slight change in her behavior that worried me. Her fingers didn't seem to move the way she wanted them too. It is one of the first signs of the disease. "The Medical Advisor looked away. _

"_For months I saw her condition change for the worse and I saw her become obsessed with the idea of a break through. The disease is quite slow in the beginning so there are only subtle signs until it reaches a point where the nervous system is attacked. She had achieved so much, but not enough to save herself." Beyoon sighed. _

"_I am sorry; she was like a daughter to me. It's hard to talk about it." _

"_Please take your time Doctor Beyoon." _

"_She hid it from Weyoun, always told him everything was okay and that perhaps he could take some time off so that they could spend some time together." _

"_Aya was Weyoun's wife?" Benjamin had asked. _

_Beyoon nodded. "He was always busy on some diplomatic meeting; always working. One day Aya collapsed and she had to be taken in at the hospital and it came as a shock for Weyoun. He sat with her every day and night for a week. I know she told him about her work and latest discoveries and that she felt so close to finding something important. I stopped by at regular intervals checking her life signs but we all knew there was nothing I could do for her." _

_Sisko watched the older Vorta struggling with the words. _

"_The last time I saw her alive she told Weyoun that she had failed, that she was sorry and that she would always love him. Two hours later she was dead." _

_Benjamin swallowed. _

"_It was the base of Aya's work that the Founders took and managed to perfect in a way so that it fitted their needs. It was Aya's work that made it possible for them to create our successors and use them as loyal servants." _

_Beyoon locked eyes with Sisko. "Ironically what could have been our salvation almost led to our destruction." _

oooooooooo

"Benjamin?" Doctor Bashir asked concerned.

The Captain opened his eyes looking around the infirmary. "Maybe you should ask Weyoun." He said leaving Julian dumbfounded.

"It's a long and sad story Julian." Ezri said. "I will tell you all about it but not right now." She looked at him. "Just hold me."

oooooooooo

"I know you don't actually know much about the Breen, but they don't know that. For all they know you are Weyoun."

The Vorta gave him an incredible look.

Sisko rolled his eyes. "They think you are the clone. If they see a Vorta on our side it may turn to our advantage."

"Have they not accepted the peace treaty between the Dominion and the Federation?" Weyoun asked professionally.

"Let's just say, there are some final arrangements to settle. It's almost like they believe that the war will continue as soon as the Changeling's have recuperated."

"Do they believe the Dominion to be the superior power?" Weyoun asked, looking at Sisko as they walked along the corridors on their way toward the command center.

"It's a possibility and that's what I want you to find out among other things. I know you are a skilled diplomat, I have experienced it. "

"You are not so bad yourself Captain." The Vorta smiled politely.

"I also know from experience that you are good at getting people where you want them to be." He glanced at the diplomat.

"That might be true but usually I am well prepared, backed up by facts and strategies."

"You are free to check the databases and collect any information you want. See it as a step toward trusting each other better." Sisko studied him for a moment.

"Are you well now?"

Weyoun frowned. "Yes Doctor Bashir gave me a clean bill of health."

"Good, the Breen will arrive at ten hundred hours two days from now."

"I'll be there; now excuse me there is something I have to do." Weyoun said apologetically and turned around the corner, leaving Sisko alone in the corridor.

"_Captain Sisko; this is Lieutenant Barks I am calling to tell you that Captain Wilson and the Cortez has rendezvoused with the Vorta ship and are now leaving the quadrant." _

Benjamin activated his com badge. "Thank you lieutenant." He was just about to call Weyoun as he turned around the corner to reach the command center when he almost collided with Colonel Kira.

"I am sorry, I was looking for you." She said apologetically.

"Well now you've found me." He smiled at her appearance; she looked dead on her feat. "Have you been up all night?"

She nodded. "Odo will be leaving this afternoon."

"I am sorry to hear that, he will be missed." He met her eyes. "Kira I am sure that if it had been another way he would have taken it." He said softly.

"I know but that doesn't make me feel any better. How long is it going to take?" She ran a hand through her hair and sat down opposite the Captain.

"I tried to ask him if he would come back again, but he just said that his place is with his people and the great link…for now."

"It would be nice to leave this place." He said dreamingly.

Kira smiled faintly at him. "Wanting to build that cottage on Bajor?"

He looked at her smugly. "Something like that. Was there anything you needed?"

"Yes the Breen, they are ahead of schedule and will be arriving this afternoon."

Benjamin made a face. "Great."

oooooooooo

Bashir glanced up as the doors to the infirmary opened, revealing a tired Vorta.

"You know normally when someone walks in here with that skin color I would worry." The doctor smirked.

Weyoun looked at him curiously.

"I was trying to crack a joke." Bashir offered lightly.

The doctor wanted nothing more than to learn about the disease Captain Sisko had been talking about and the Vorta researcher called Aya. Now he had the opportunity. Ezri had promised to tell him but then she had been called away on a mission. The only thing he had managed to get out of her was that Aya meant a lot to Weyoun.

The Vorta smiled faintly before turning serious again. "I am sorry I am a bit preoccupied. I have been going through the records of _Weyoun's_ activities around here." He said with dismay.

Bashir said nothing.

"I am beginning to understand why Odo didn't want me to walk alone on the station. I know he did bad things but that is somewhat an understatement." He chuckled tiredly.

Bashir put a hand on his shoulder.

"I understand why Garak wanted to kill me. It must be strange talking to me at all."

"Weyoun…" Bashir began, not really sure what to say.

The Vorta smiled at him. "I am not here to feel sorry for myself; I have been thinking about what you said about the Breen/Dominion alliance."

"When I told you I didn't think they had reached a satisfying agreement I was just thinking loud."

"I have started working my way through all the files we have, but there must be something more." Weyoun said frustrated.

Julian crossed his arms over his chest. "Have you started working for the Federation?"

"You'll never know." He replied softly, the smile back on his face. "What was it you wanted to ask me?"

Julian shrugged. "I…how did you know I was going to ask you anything?"

"Body language doctor, I thought you would be good at reading it with your profession." Weyoun waited patiently for him to speak.

"You know I don't want to bother you with it right now."

oooooooooo

Worf walked through the air lock, not very surprised at finding Sisko waiting for him and Ezri.

"What did you learn about the Rosslings and the Jem'Hadar?"

"Not much I am afraid, we didn't dare cross too far into the Gamma Quadrant without back up." Ezri replied.

"The Rosslings are very private people it seems, our contacts across the border have very little about them. However it is said that a ship of unknown design stayed in orbit for days at a time two times a month." Worf explained.

Sisko nodded. "The Vorta." He concluded.

The Klingon nodded. "Must have been."

"The Vorta must have offered them something special for their silence." O'Brien said walking up from behind. "From what I have heard they prefer to keep for themselves. I believe the Federation tried to make contact with them a couple of years ago."

"Yes, they didn't want anything to do with us." Sisko confirmed.

"Was there anything they lacked knowledge about?" Ezri asked curiously.

"Wait a minute…yes medical knowledge. Rumors say that the Rosslings are a dying race." Sisko answered.

"Didn't Weyoun say that the Vorta performed advanced medical research?"

"Could they have found a cure?" Ezri wondered.

"That would have made sense. Beyoon seemed to have a vast knowledge of medical research and Aya of course." Benjamin nodded. "Run it through Julian, I have to see to the final arrangements for the Breen delegation."

"What about the Jem'Hadar? Did they give you any trouble?" Miles asked.

"It was weird, they shot at each other and their ships…it was like no one was in control." Worf replied.

"Then it's true, the Jem'Hadar fights for power among their own ranks." Sisko said thoughtfully.

"Something on your mind captain?" Ezri asked softly.

"The Vorta clones have failed to bring order out of the chaos the Founders created when they retreated."

"They are killing them." Ezri said grimly.

Sisko nodded.

oooooooooo

Weyoun looked up from the screen tiredly as the door opened.

Odo walked up to him. He glanced at the reading the Vorta was doing, every detail of the Breen/Dominion treaty, statistical numbers and war predictions filled the screen.

"I will be leaving now." Was all he said.

Weyoun looked at him and nodded. "I hope your race will recover, but when they do I expect them to leave us alone. We will tolerate them, but we wish to have nothing to do with them." He said bitterly.

Odo looked down in the floor. "At a time during the war I was called away to a meeting with one of my most trusted contacts, or so I thought." He looked directly at Weyoun. "I was met by one of your clones."

Weyoun looked away.

Odo continued. "He said he wanted to help me, to serve me and that the war had to end. The Dominion claimed he was faulty and had to be eliminated." The Changeling said in dismay.

Weyoun turned to look at him again sadly.

"In so many ways he reminded me of you. He wasn't faulty; he was just closer to the original. What I am trying to say is…take care. I wish I could have helped you sooner."

"Nothing can be made undone Odo, but I appreciate what you are doing." He smiled. "You have helped open the eyes of the others. As for your own people I can only wish that they chose to trust the solids some day."

Odo nodded. "I will do what I can." He put a hand on the Vorta's shoulder. "I have to know…you are no tree people right?"

Weyoun frowned. "No, well perhaps we where once during the evolution of our species, but that must have been a long time ago." He answered, not understanding.

Odo nodded. "Another lie created by my people." He said. "Goodbye Weyoun."

oooooooooo

The Cardassian adjutant smiled delighted as the Breen assistant bowed slightly in front of him.

"Are the final arrangements set?" He demanded.

Cremor nodded. "Everything has been taken care of. Our chances might even improve using the Vorta." He replied confidently.

"I can assure you that our people will not walk away from this empty handed." He added.

"Good, our ambassador has been…delusional for quite some time, believing that we will gain something by this peace with the Federation." The Breen said harshly.

"We became enemies when we chose to side with the Dominion, and we still are. The Federation will not allow us the superiority that we deserve. We are still enemies as far as I am concerned and I am not the only one feeling that way." The heavily suited Breen added.

For a brief moment the Cardassian wondered what he would look like under all the protective gear but dismissed the thought. It would gain him nothing to know at the moment.

The assistant continued. "They have taken into possession areas that rightfully belong to us due to the Dominion/Breen treaty and we will take them back. For they have not won this war, they have lost it."

Cremor smiled. "Well said assistant, just remember that we are your allies."

The Breen pointed a finger at the Cardassian's chest. "Your people have a lot to explain to do, siding with the Federation."

"I assure you that was not the will of the general population. "

"Very well, see that everything will run smoothly."

oooooooooo

Julian and Ezri Dax stood silently watching the exchange from distance.

"I don't trust Garak's adjutant." Bashir said suspiciously. "Why would he talk to the Breen, unless he was part of the Federation opposition?"

Ezri smiled. "Come on Julian you told Garak to keep an open mind about Weyoun, maybe you should keep an open mind as well."

He gave her an incredulous look and put an arm around her.

The Breen ambassador and assistant bowed at each other and walked towards the Federation delegation waiting for them. Sisko, Kira and Weyoun all stood silently, their faces neutral.

"Well I am glad I don't have to meddle in there." Julian said. "Could I by the lady a drink?" He asked charmingly.

Ezri looked at him; her eyes sparkling. "Doctor Bashir? In the middle of the day?"

"An hour in the holosuite?" He asked.

Ezri smiled. "Maybe, do I get to chose program?"

"If you tell me about Aya and the Vorta medical research." He replied smugly.

"Are you blackmailing me?" She smiled.

oooooooooo

Miles O'Brien sat down heavily in front of the bar.

"You look tired Chief." Quark said handing him a glass of water.

"I have been checking systems all day for security and Rom is still at it." He looked down in the glass taking a sip. "All my muscles are stiff." He complained.

Quark leaned over the disk. "I might have just the thing for you, at a cheap price of course."

Miles glared at him. "Nice try Quark, but Keiko's massage does wonders."

The Ferengi shrugged. "Well it's your loss."

"Speaking about loss, what's going on in there?" The engineer asked nodding in the direction of the conference room.

"Not much. They have been sitting in there for 6 hours now." Quark replied uninterested.

O'Brien turned around and froze. Several explosions rocked the station causing the deck to shudder under his feet. A heat wave burst down the promenade and debris swirled in the air mixed with dust. The alarms blared through the station and people fled in panic as several bulkheads started to close.

He lay on the floor not exactly remembering when he had ended up there and he felt something sting in his forehead. His hand came away with blood and he swallowed.

Miles looked in despair at the direction of the room for the negotiations. It was dark and he couldn't see properly, but he knew that if the bulkheads and force field blew all of them, including him, would be dead.

Taking one last look in their direction, he doubted that anyone was still alive in there. "O'Brien to Bashir; you better get up here."

oooooooooo

To be contined


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Cremor blinked his eyes open, around him was total chaos and people ran around screaming. Some of them injured supporting each other while others seemed to be in chock. He felt the pain in his chest and saw the blood dripping down on the floor. He would not live long, but he had achieved his goal. His people would once again rise, together with the Breen, and become what they had once been.

Someone, a medic, he didn't know grabbed him and started running a medical instrument over him.

"Can you hear me?" The voice was concerned.

He chipped for breath and nodded.

"You have been injured, there has been an explosion. I need to assess your injuries before transferring you to the infirmary."

Cremor's bloodied hand reached for the medic's sleeve. "He tried to kill us all."

The Cardassian saw the medic temporarily stiffen. "Did you see something that could help the investigation?"

It was so hard to focus right now and he cursed his own weakness. "The…Vorta…I saw him yesterday walking around here."

The young Federation medic nodded and Cremor could see that he believed him. "He must be working for the Dominion…I thought the war was over."

The Federation ensign, who was studying to become a doctor, gently applied pressure to his wounds. "The security force will see to that the person responsible for all this will pay rest assured. Please remain calm now and we will help you."

Cremor nodded, thankfully slipping away to oblivion.

"Ensign Bradford!" Doctor Julian Bashir shouted as he stumbled in his direction.

"Sir, we have several severely injured on location." He said professionally.

Julian glanced down at the Cardassian adjutant. "That's Garak's aide, how is he?"

"I am afraid he will not make it." The ensign replied calmly.

"What about the people in there?" Julian asked concerned, looking at the debris that was once a conference room.

"The structural engineers are surveying the area but it doesn't look promising, cross your fingers sir."

oooooooooo

"How's Captain Sisko and Cremor?" Garak asked concerned as he walked into the crowded infirmary.

Bashir stood in the center of the activity with his sleeves rolled up. He looked at the Cardassian he had considered his friend. "The Captain is going to be fine Garak, your adjutant is dead."

"And Colonel Kira?"

"I am no worse for wear." The Bajoran said where she sat on a bed not far from them.

She favored her right side and her right cheek seemed swollen, but the gash over her temple had been taken care of. You could only see the thin red line that the medical wonders of the century couldn't take away.

Kira looked from Garak to Bashir, her determined face suddenly full of concern. "How's Weyoun?"

Julian sighed deeply leading her, with Garak in tow, to a biobed separated from the others. The Vorta seemed even more pale than usual, if it was even possible.

"I don't know Kira. Several ribs on his left side have been crushed, the lung is amazingly just bruised but inside he is a bloody mess." He ran a hand through his hair while looking at the alien occupying the bed in front of him.

"I have sedated him and healed as much as I can, but even if we regenerate the bones it's going to hurt and the Vorta are hard to drug due to their effective immune system."

The Cardassian walked up to the bed studying the Vorta with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Let him feel it. Let him feel the pain." He turned to Bashir and Kira. "He has caused so much to others, to my people."

"Garak what's happened to you?" Bashir asked with dismay. "It's not a clone lying in front of you, it's a real Vorta."

Garak chuckled. "I have heard you say that but what makes you believe that he is any different? The clones are based on him, on his personal believes and values!"

"That's not entirely true and you know it!" Julian answered angrily.

"The Changelings took the Vorta prisoner and used their skills and good physiology for their own benefits." The Bajoran said in response.

The colonel continued. "You talk about fanatics Garak, and how the Dominion destroyed your home; how they used your people. What makes you so different from them?"

The Cardassian had a sour expression on his face pointing at Weyoun. "I have seen him walk around the station, making decisions causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands or even millions of people." He said in a low voice.

"It wasn't Weyoun, Garak, and deep down you know it. "Julian answered.

"It's a trick; all he wants is to ensure the survival of the clones that are now hunted by the Jem'Hadar. The Vorta are dying now that the Founders can't protect them and the Jem'Hadar is beginning to break free of the drug."

Bashir shook his head sadly.

"When I saw him in Sisko's office he called me a fool and he accused me of being incompetent. The arrogance and the nonchalant behavior haven't changed."

"I doubt you made a great first impression on him Garak, by trying to kill him." Julian said softly.

"Besides you where there and you heard the female Changeling say it was the last clone of Weyoun that you shot dead on Cardassia Prime." Kira said looking directly at him.

She continued. "I never thought I would say this but give him a chance; he is not so bad."

Garak looked down at the floor.

Doctor Bashir turned around to once again look at his patient. "Why did he do it? Why did he try and save Sisko and the Breen ambassador when he knew he couldn't make it?"

"I think I know why. He wanted to prove himself, he wanted an end to this."

oooooooooo

_Kira saw the room in front of her once again, she saw the dead Breen assistant and the destruction around her. She saw the walls collapsing and heard the sound of the alarm for hull breach. Bulkheads started to close down and several sections of the wall began to buckle. She saw Weyoun, dusty and lightly injured gently dragging an unconscious Sisko out of harm's way. Seconds later the bulkhead where the captain had been lying collapsed and slammed into the floor below. She shuddered at the thought of the emissary dead. She pushed herself clear of the debris that had come down over her and managed to stand. _

"_Weyoun, why are you doing this?" _

"_I refuse to be accused for any more deaths!" He stumbled over the ruble and headed for the Breen ambassador. "Take Sisko and get out of here!" _

_She looked anxiously at the failing hull integrity and grabbed the Captain's still form and held on for all she was worth, pushing him out in the open corridor. _

_When she turned around to watch for Weyoun everything had come apart and the chances of finding anyone alive in there was close to zero. _

oooooooooo

"He wanted to show us that we could trust him."

"Trust a Vorta?" Garak replied suspiciously.

"It was your adjutant and the Breen assistant that wanted the war to continue, not us and not the Vorta!"

"Maybe you should consider what Kira is telling you Garak. It's time to move on and let the casualties of the war rest, and build up the trust among people instead." Bashir offered patting the Cardassian on his shoulder. "Now get out of here and leave Weyoun alone. We have all lost the war in some way." The doctor said.

Garak looked at the sleeping Vorta. "Perhaps I was wrong." He said solemnly.

oooooooooo

Benjamin Sisko slowly opened his eyes only to have Jake and Kasidy hovering over him.

"Easy Ben, you have been to quite an ordeal." Kasidy cautioned.

"What happened?" He asked confused.

"Don't you remember?" Jake asked concerned.

Kasidy looked at him. "Jake, go and get Julian." She took Sisko's hand.

"The meeting…something exploded." He said.

"Benjamin?" Doctor Bashir asked. "I am pleased to have you back. However I had to work quite a lot on you and I don't want to redo it, so keep still." He ran a medical instrument over the Captain.

"Did anyone die?" Sisko whispered, closing his eyes.

"It's a wonder any of you actually survived." Kasidy said concerned.

Julian nodded grimly. "We lost ten federation officers, two Bajoran officers and five civilians. The Breen assistant and Garak's adjutant are also dead. There are a lot of casualties; we estimate around twenty severely injured and around thirty lightly injured." Julian looked up as Chief O'Brien came through the doors. "And here comes one of them."

Miles looked at the Captain and then around the room and finally at Dr. Bashir. "How are they?"

"Holding on." Julian replied.

"What's the situation out there?" Sisko asked, looking at the engineer.

"Ben, it's not your concern you need to rest." Kasidy said softly.

"I have to know." He said determined.

"We have a hole in the station, the area is unstable and most of the sections around it have been sealed off. There is a team working on it as we speak. Luckily the force field is holding."

"Do we know who did this?"

"Not at the moment, but we have several tips." Julian said as Colonel Kira walked up to them.

Sisko smiled. "I was just to ask about you."

She returned the smile. "I will be fine, don't worry."

"Garak's adjutant said that the Vorta was responsible, not wanting an end to this war." Julian said.

"That is bullshit and you know it." Kira said angrily.

Bashir nodded. "Unfortunately several people on the station relies more on information from the Cardassians than from us."

"Wait a minute…I saw adjutant Cremor walk around the promenade yesterday acting rather suspiciously." O'Brien said.

"He was talking to the Breen assistant this morning." Julian added.

"The Breen are divided in the question about peace with the Federation." Jake said. "I have been interviewing a lot of people." He added.

"Run a full investigation about the matter I want the people responsible nailed and thrown away without lock and key." Sisko said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Ezri Dax walked over as she entered. "Ben, you are awake." She said softly.

"Hello old man." He replied tiredly.

"Worf is out in the Defiant together with a bunch of engineers to try and seal the breach." She said looking at O'Brien.

"I better go to the command central and coordinate." He said excusing himself.

"Captain when you feel a bit better the Breen ambassador is requesting to see you." Julian said.

"Is he still alive?" The Captain asked hopefully. "Then it isn't a complete disaster."

"The good news is that he is even more determined to sign the treaty with the Federation than ever." Kira said. "But he wants you and Weyoun to both be there."

Sisko slowly opened his eyes again. "Where is he?" He asked, expecting to see the little Vorta around.

Bashir swallowed. "Benjamin there is something you should know."

oooooooooo

To be continued


	11. Chapter 11

oooooooooo

Chapter Eleven

Garak walked toward the airlock. Sisko, Kira and Julian were waiting for him.

"I am going home now; I guess you know since you are all standing here."

Kira walked up to him. "Take care Garak and make Cardassia flourish once again, but with help of the Federation."

He smiled. "I will but I have a lot of work to do." He looked down in the floor. "I am sorry for being such a stubborn idiot."

"Oh we always knew you were." Julian replied teasingly.

"Odo was right I am narrow-minded."

"Only at special occasions." Sisko replied.

"I am ashamed that my adjutant managed to plan everything together with Breen opposition behind my back. I must be losing my touch." He looked directly at the Captain.

"Tell Weyoun when he is better that I am sorry for what I have put him through." He turned to Kira.

"You and Julian were right. I behaved not much better than my worst enemy during the war. Thank you for helping me see that clearly. Perhaps one day my planet and my people can be united, again and join the Federation in a friendly manner."

"I am sure they can Garak, we are looking forward to it." Sisko replied.

Julian patted him on the shoulder. "Don't let it go too long between your visits, it get's dull when you are not here."

Garak smiled at them before turning to walk through the airlock.

oooooooooo

"Weyoun come on it's time to join the land of the living." A voice urged, but in his drowsy state he couldn't place it.

"I know you are there somewhere." The voice said.

He felt something cold against his neck and immediately felt more alert.

"There you are." Doctor Bashir said happily as ice blue eyes glared at him.

"We have been quite worried about you, personally I thought I would lose you there for a while."

Weyoun blinked, not quite understanding what had happened.

"Do you know where you are?" The Doctor asked worriedly.

"I hate hospitals." He murmured.

"How's he doing?" A female voice suddenly said. He thought he recognized the voice as Colonel Kira.

Julian made a face. "Oh he is going to be all right."

"Hello Weyoun, how are you feeling?" Kira said softly.

"Wonderful." He replied sarcastically trying to get into a more comfortable position.

Bashir snorted. "Now don't be like that. I have worked miracles with you." He put both hands on the Vorta's shoulders. "I strongly recommend that you keep still. You managed to crush a lot of bones in your chest; I have regenerated them, but it will take time for them to fully heal. You bruised your left lung pretty badly but the bruising is almost gone now and as for your internal bleedings, the micro sutures do wonders."

"How long?" Weyoun asked cautiously.

Bashir scratched his head. "Eight days, give or take a couple of hours."

The Vorta looked like he had missed the deal of the century. "Eight _days_?"

The eyes settled on the Doctor. "What about the rest of my people and the Breen…"

"Easy, one thing at a time." Bashir cautioned. "Captain Sisko is on his way…" Julian looked up as the doors opened. "…is here to update you on several things." He corrected.

"Ben? A couple of minutes." Julian warned and moved away.

"I haven't had the chance to thank you for saving my life." Sisko began.

"I hope you would have done the same." The Vorta said dismissively.

"I would…anyway the Breen ambassador is grateful as well. We have come to terms with one another and he has agreed to sign the papers."

"That's wonderful news." Weyoun concurred.

Sisko nodded. "Yes, he wants' you to be present as well."

Weyoun frowned.

"He claims to be in your debt." Benjamin explained.

Julian suddenly stood behind the Captain and Colonel Kira. "The minutes are up."

"Just a moment. Weyoun there is something I have been wondering about, the Rosslings?"

The Vorta nodded. "As you probably would have guessed we gave them something they wanted."

"You cured them?" Bashir asked curiously.

Weyoun shifted despite Julian's warnings. "No, I am not sure anyone can, but we managed to prolong their lives and keep the disease at bay."

"And in return they helped you with supplies and kept you well hidden?" Sisko guessed.

"Yes." He grimaced.

"The minutes are definitely up." Bashir said looking at Sisko and Kira. He turned to Weyoun. "Does it hurt?"

"Only when I breathe."

oooooooooo

O'Brien walked into the command center finding Ezri and Worf in the middle of a discussion. "I can come back." He offered.

"No just tell _Ambassador _Worf that he needs to polish his diplomatic skills." Ezri glared at the Klingon.

"I don't want to get involved." Miles said unhappily.

"The Ferengi don't understand beautiful words; it's better with a direct approach." Worf replied.

Ezri turned to O'Brien in despair. "He told Quark to get rid of all his supplies because they were infected…"

Miles raised his hands. "Still don't want to get involved. I only want to tell you that the final test has been made and that the station is holding together again."

Dax nodded. "That's great news Chief; I will notify Benjamin as soon as he comes back."

She looked at Worf. "You should apologize to Quark."

Worf shrugged. "He will get new supplies; consider it payback for setting up my Klingon comrades in the drinking contest with Weyoun."

The Klingon smiled satisfied. "Odo is right; it has its advantages acting station security."

"I hope you don't enjoy it too much because Odo's real replacement will arrive early tomorrow morning."

oooooooooo

_To be continued _

_Only one short chapter to go now ;) _


	12. Chapter 12

oooooooooo

Epilogue

Three weeks later

They all stood there waiting in the dark. Sisko, Jake, Nog, Worf, Ezri, the O'Brien's, Bashir even Quark. Well Quark was probably there to sell drinks and food, but still. Kira mused.

"Where is he the little…" Quark began, he had always been impatient especially when not getting paid.

"Be quiet." Sisko replied irritated. "Remember how well he hears."

"_I _can hear something." Julian said as the door opened.

Kira instantly pulled the light switch they had managed to get working in the holosuite.

"Ow, my eyes." The little Vorta complained hands over his face.

"Come on now Weyoun it's not that bad." Chief O'Brien replied.

The Vorta carefully opened his eyes and looked around to see the entire stab except for Odo who had joined the great link over three weeks ago. They were all dressed up and on the large table in the magnificent room stood plates full of food. Balloons hang from the ceiling and everyone smiled at him.

Being the top diplomat that he was he didn't let his surprise show very much, but Kira saw that under his composed mask, he was genuinely happy. During the war she had come to hate his smug smile, but now all she could do when looking at Weyoun smiling was being pleased with herself for managing to get him so surprised with the party.

Weyoun looked around the group as if not really getting it even though he was smiling. Only one word came to mind. "Why?"

"Figured you had had no birthday party." Kira said smiling.

"Who said I was born on this day?" He said raising an eyebrow looking at Julian Bashir, who guiltily looked in another direction.

"Is it true that you are 80 years old; I mean human years?" Nog asked curiously.

Weyoun looked at him with an emotionless expression on his face. "My my, I am getting quite old." He said, not really admitting his age.

"Well I have to say you look quite preserved for your age." Ezri said smiling.

"I am actually half that age, we don't grow old the same way you do." The Vorta replied, this time with a faint smile on his lips.

"You think that is old? Look at me. If I had had any hair it would have been grey ages ago." Quark said filling up his glass.

"Actually…" Julian began.

Quark glared at him. "Don't you dare tell them doctor Bashir."

Julian smirked. "Patient confidentially?"

"You bet it is."

"So, why doesn't everyone take place at the table?" Sisko said. "Weyoun, at the end of the table."

"Do I have too?" He said unhappily.

"Why not? You are sitting there all the time, meddling in affairs." Sisko replied, steering the little Vorta in the right direction.

"That's exactly why." Weyoun replied sarcastically.

Sisko and Bashir sat down next to him, and the rest filled in the other chairs. "I will sit here so that I can keep an eye on you." Julian said.

The intense blue eyes narrowed looking directly at the doctor, making him feel a little uncomfortable. "Why, are you going to hurt me?" He asked curiously.

"Nope that would be more like a Klingon celebration." Worf said from the other part of the table.

Sisko put a hand on his shoulder. "You know sometimes we forget how little you actually know about human customs Weyoun." He chuckled and the Vorta suddenly had a fleetingly hurt expression on his face.

"Don't pout Weyoun, it doesn't suit you." Ezri said sitting opposite to Worf.

"I am not…" he began.

"You can deny it all you want, now how does it feel to sit here after everything you have been through?" Kira said knowing the extensive repair work Julian had done to Weyoun's torso and the ten broken ribs and heavily bruised lung.

Julian leaned closer to Weyoun. "That's why I am sitting this close to you."

"I see." He said smiling faintly.

"I am quite fine thank you. And…" He looked around the table and his eyes finally landing on Sisko. "…I want to thank you all for believing me; I know it can't have been easy."

"Actually no, not since you have the distinct ability to convince almost anyone whatever you want." Sisko admitted. "However there was something different, that I couldn't put my finger on, about you that bothered me."

The Vorta looked at the captain expectantly.

"You seemed sincere, and you didn't call Odo a God." The captain finished.

"You are more vulnerable." Worf replied taking a bite in the meat lying on his plate.

Weyoun made a face, wondering what Worf was getting at.

"The Founders managed to bring out all the bad in your cloned versions." Ezri said carefully, making eye contact with Worf.

"I don't understand how they could do such a thing?" Keiko O'Brien said, shivering at the thought.

Sisko looked at Weyoun, and if it was possible he looked paler than before. "I think that's enough about that, let's talk about something good instead."

Kira nodded. "That's right." She turned to the Vorta. "Weyoun, we just got the news, most of the Vorta on your home planet managed to survive although under harsh conditions. Starfleet is sending two more ships to help them." She saw the genuine happiness on his face.

"There is more, they wish to leave the Gamma Quadrant and settle near the Alpha Quadrant. Starfleet has found them a planet not very far from here and they want you to stay on the station as a liaison between our people. "

The Vorta carefully blinked away the small tears forming in his eyes.

Julian Bashir happily slapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, you see?" He shook him gently. "It's true _Ambassador_ Weyoun. I told you everything would be fine."

"So let's raise our glasses in a toast." Sisko said.

"So, they are coming here to visit occasionally?" Quark said. "They can drink a lot can't they?"

Weyoun laughed softly. "Probably more than you can serve Quark."

"Weyoun, welcome home." Kira said.

oooooooooo

The end

_Okay so the ending is perhaps a bit too convenient but I like happy endings ; )_

_Thank you to those who read and to those who reviewed. It means a great deal to know what people think about the chapters I have written. Please review and summarize the story, I would be delighted._


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